The Tale of Megiltura
by kylebare15
Summary: A man driven by revenge travels through the towns and forests of time shrouded in mystery


The tale of Megiltura  
  
"Amin khiluva lle a'gurtha ar'thar amin Shaalath!", a man shouted which loosely translates, in the tongue of the elves, to " I will follow you to death and beyond my lieutenant". Shaalath was the leader of the aman tel'seldarine elves or blessed elves for he and they were rumored to have the ability to disappear when threatened. Nothing is known for sure about the aman tel'seldarine so the only knowledge we have of them was told from generation to generation, never a detail left out or forgotten. Shaalath is one of the greatest secrets of the aman tel'seldarine because no one who ever lay eye on him would return to tell the tale, except for one, a human, a human named Megiltura, the man wise enough to receive praise from the elves. "This girl is not worthy of our time, lets take our business elsewhere. Reconsider? I would slay you like a dog if you were not but a child. Now be off with you, I've no time for this." A portly man named Lindar, dressed in a robe fit for a king, said as he waddled through the streets of Antoch, not knowing that a man wielding a dagger stood but 2 feet from him with his heart set teaching him some manners. "I apologize, sir, for interrupting your stroll but I do believe that it was my daughter who's neck you just drew your sword to, and that she deserves an apology." the man said as he held the man bent over with his dagger to his throat. The man, trembling in fear was led to the girl, sitting against the city wall. "I beg your forgiveness for my previous behavior, madam." "You are forgiven," the man hinted to his daughter with a nudge of the foot. "You are forgiven, good sir." "Be off with you now." The man said as he released the man from his headlock. "Have you any idea what you've done?! This deed will not go unpunished, I assure you this." The man said as he ran away in fear and anger. "Of the charges held against you, violence and harassment of a town sheriff, how do you plea?" "Not guilty, your lordship, this man was rude to my daughter; I was just teaching him some manners." "Judging by the testimony given by the sheriff I do sentence you to death by beheading." As they pulled the man off to the city jail, a man in the audience stood and followed the guardsmen into the jail. "You can't be in here, sir!" A guard said to the rapidly approaching man with sword drawn, but was not fast enough as the man kicked the sword out of his hand and stabbed him with an elven cleaver, previously strapped to his back. "You know, this is the fourth time I've had to risk my neck to save you from peril, you got in here because of etiquette and I am yet to hear a single thank you." The man said as he took the keys off the dead guard's belt. "I'm not the only one who as been sprung from a jail cell here, if you will please remember back in Gondolin the dispute over a schilling barrel of potatoes, which by the way, you still owe me that schilling." The man in the cell said as his friend unlocked the door. "Did you get my swords, the guard put them in the armory, did you get them?" "Yes, I know my companion like the back of my hand, and I know he wouldn't walk 10 hands without his swords on his back."  
  
As the men walked out the gate to the jail they were met with a host of guards. As the men drew their elven cleavers, the guards drew there swords but before they could draw them all the way the two men had killed one and wounded 3 other. "You will sheath your swords if you value your lives." One of them said to the remaining two men. The guards listened and rest their swords. The two of them walked out into the city, collected the boy and the rest of their belongings and put them on their cart and left the city. "Did you see the one man that nearly soiled himself, 'sheath your swords if you value your lives', does that work on all of your foes, Megiltura?" "The ones that don't listen to my words, do not live to tell of hearing my voice." "I would like to bring up etiquette with you Megiltura for I have not heard a single thank you, did you A'maelamin?" The girl answered, "No sir, not once have I heard the words leave his mouth." "You don't deserve thanks, you just freed me from jail, I could have done that with my hands bound and my eyes blindfolded." The man now known as Megiltura said to his companion, Vanima. The men and boy were off, to whereabouts unknown and for reasons unknown, all they knew was that they were not alone. They traveled from town to town, forest to forest, like a routine that they had practiced many times thanks to the unrelenting devotion of Megiltura to etiquette. Later that night as the men sat and made camp outside a forest named Danya. The stories of Danya were that of orcs, goblins and demons that would never let a man walk in without their best attempts to stop them. These stories were not told to Megiltura, Vanima or A'maelamin. "You call that a fire?" "No I don't but that's all the wood I could find, I'll go get more. Stop your fretting, I'll go chop some." Vanima said to Megiltura with a laugh as he entered the forest. "What's taking him, its been nearly an hour and he hasn't returned once. Go fetch him will you." Megiltura said to A'maelamin. She started to walk off when Megiltura heard a rustle, drew his swords and swung the swords into the darkness which was met by a THWACK. "I already chopped the wood Megiltura." Vanima said to Megiltura as he emerged from the darkness of the forest. "What took so long?" "Well, I found this journal out in the forest and I stopped and read it for a while and forgot about my companions waiting back in the cold darkness." Vanima said with a chuckle. "A journal? No owner? Did you see anyone in the forest?" "No, all to see in there was trees, fern and mushrooms which taste delicious, by the way. I did, however, hear a many rustle in the bushes around me" "I think we should leave", said A'maelamin. "Yes, Vanima, take down the tents. Make haste for there is a many evil I sense in this forest," said Megiltura but just as Vanima ran over to take down his tent he was hit with an arrow in the chest, throwing him against the wagon. "Vanima! Get behind the wagon, A'maelamin" Megiltura yelled and ran to Vanima's side side, dodging the barrage of arrows now being shot from the forest by a group of Orcs. "Lle anta amin tu? Manke tanya tuula?" "Tanya awra! Aiya! There behind the-," just as Vanima was lifting his arm to point, he was hit again in the neck with another arrow. "Vanima!" he yelled. "Amin hiraetha. Quel esta, coramin niuve tenna' tae lea lle," Megiltura whispered into Vanima's ear as his eyes closed and his body cold. He swung up with all his might and drew is swords. "This deed will no go unpunished, morierea. You will regret the day you crossed the path of Megiltura, nadorhuanrim!" Megiltura yelled at the top of his lungs as he ran to the cart and pick up his bow, arrows and quiver. But before the now approaching Orcs could react the man had already put an arrow in ones leg and chest. The bow, now hot with the arrows being pulled back and released, so quickly that the Orcs weren't able to shoot another of their own. When the man ran out of arrows he picked up his swords that he had laid down in the cart and ran as fast as he could into the horde of Orcs and slaughtered them one by one, making sure that he never killed any one instantly so they would feel the pain that his companion did. When he had killed a good lot and felt that the battle could not be won he fled behind the cart and the Orcs fled behind the trees. "Are you hurt," the man asked, watching over the side of the cart for any potential danger that may emerge from the forest. But when he did not receive an answer the man looked behind him only to see the large foot prints of an Orc where his daughter was sat. He looked inside the cart, under it and around it but finally came to the conclusion that his daughter had been taken from him by the Orcs. He sat at the cart and wept for all that he had was taken from him in less than an hour. He looked over the side of the cart and got in the back, and when he could tell that it was safe, got in the front seat and quickly got hold of the reins and was off. Megiltura rode and rode for what seemed an eternity without his daughter until he got to the next town called Hama Neva. He tethered his horsed and walked to a bar with a rickety sign out front saying "Maisto's Tavern" and went inside. "I need everyone willing and able to go to your homes, pick up your swords and bow for we are off to battle in the Northern forest," he said, standing on top of a table. "For what reason or madness gives do you the desire to go into the Danya forest?" a man said as he stood up from a table. "My companion, Vanima of Khila was killed and my daughter was taken from me by a party of Orcs." Megiltura said. "Don't you know? There are a lot more than Orcs in that forest, lad. Your daughter hasn't a hope," another man said. "I've hope and I must try to save her. Will you not help me?" he said as he got down from the table. "Fine, but this forest is on your doorstep and you will all be enslaved to it as long as you sit back and do nothing," he said, heading for the door but before he could reach it a woman who stood behind the bar yelled, "I will help. I've trained with a sword and bow and I am willing." "Your are sure? If you go with me you will not be able to turn back or leave. You will join me as though to die by me," he said to the woman walking out from behind the bar. "I am sure. Let me get home for my things and I will meet you outside." Megiltura waited outside for anyone to come and was not disappointed for a young man of 19 years named Cormell came, the woman from the tavern, and 15 men from around town who had heard of the man mad enough to enter the Danya. "Than you all for coming, you are all already heroes. Most of you will have to go by foot for there is limited room in my wagon." And the company of farmers, women and barkeeps were off, in full armor and dress to the Forest of Danya. "What is your name, good sir? We are following you and we don't even know what you are called," the woman said to Megiltura. "I am Megiltura of Khila. And you, m'lady?" "I am Lirimaer." "Ahh, you are half-elf? For your name is elven." "I'm not but my father was a friend to the Kwentra elves." "You are no disappointment to your name," Megiltura said. It was not long before the small army was at the foot of the forest. "We are not here solely to collect my daughter but to rid this forest of all evil. Leave none alive," Megiltura said as he picked up his bow and strapped a quiver onto each leg, the trademark of his people. "Are you all ready for what perils await you? Lets go then," Megiltura said as he walked into the forest. He could immediately feel the concentrated evil of the forest fall upon him and his men like a chill down there spine. As they walked into the blue darkness of the forest, they could smell the rot of the dead but not coming from any one source or direction. "Do not fear them, they feed off of your fear. Take up your sword and be on your ready," he said, stepping over logs, dead, but no different from the trees still standing. "What do you hear? Do you hear anything? No birds, rabbits or wolves," said Cormell, walking slowly behind the fearless and relentless Megiltura who was at the head of the group. The only sounds in the forest were the sounds of arrows clacking back and forth in the quivers or the fearful men, the jingling of the chain mail coifs, and the distant whinnying of Megiltura's horse outside the forest. "Get down, be silent," Megiltura commanded of the men and they obeyed as though soldiers under the leadership of there captain. The men got down and just as they did an elf with a dark green cloak, hooded as though trying to camouflage himself, walked by followed by ten more dressed in a similar fashion with long silver hair and pale white skin. When the elves had passed by, Megiltura got up and asked "Melloneamin, manke naa lle autien?" But before he could finish the sentence the elves vanished without even a glance, as though they had turned to steam and drifted off. The men, amazed and aghast walked to where the elves previously stood and looked questioningly at Megiltura asking "what have we gotten in-" the man was unable to finish his sentence for he was knocked unconscious from behind, the same happened to the other men that stood there, except Megiltura who stood next to a tree. "Amin sinta lle?" a voice said from behind Megiltura. He turned to see all of the ten elves behind him. "I do not know you but I require your assistance. My name is Megiltura of Khila. These men on the ground are my companions, we have set out from Hama Neva to find my daughter. Can you help us?" Megiltura asked the one who asserted himself to the front of the group. "Sword-master? We will see if you are worthy of the name." he said to Megiltura, drawing his elven broad sword. As he did this Megiltura drew is from his back with one in front of his face and one towards his opponent. There was not a sound until Shaalath brought his sword down with a THWACK Megiltura moved out of the way. Megiltura looked at log down at the log that Shaalath had butchered and laughed. Shaalath picked his sword up again this time expecting more from the human. He swung, Megiltura parried and swung back, holding his sword at Shaalath's throat. "This is pointless, my liege. We are not enemies, I wish to stay as such." Megiltura said as he sheathed his swords. Shalaath lowered his sword and eventually sheathed it. "If your daughter was taken by the Glamhoth then there isn't much hope that she is still alive. I advise you to leave this forest while your men are still breathing," Shalaath said gathering his men together from the invisible scramble. "I can not go, she is alive! I know she is," Megiltura said pacing around his men who were starting to awaken. "You have hope in such a dark time as this. Yes, yes, you are the son of Nikerym. I can see him in you." Megiltura suddenly stopped his pacing. "What did you say," he said, now walking towards the elven leader. "I must poll my men, if they are, then I am willing to help you on your quest." Shalaath walked over to his men and whispered something in their native tongue into each ones ear, they looked at him with a questioning look and nodded. "I and my men have agreed to help you find your daughter," Shalaath said walking towards Megiltura with his hand out. Megiltura shook his hand and the alliance between the tel'seldarine and the men had been created. "Have you any idea where the glamhoth are," Megiltura said, worried that he would wander around for miles in the wrong direction. "We passed an orc lair just an hour before meeting you. I will bring you to it but I can't assure you that it is the glamhoth you are looking for, this forest is infested with them," Shalaath said and Megiltura nodded. The men and elves walked and walked and climbed until it got dark. "We should make camp, we are useless if we are exasperated," Megiltura said to Shalaath, huffing and puffing. "I understand, now, why there have been no alliances between our people for so long. Fine, we will camp here for one night but there will be 3 men on guard at all time," Shalaath said as he set his blanket down near the fire the men had made at the base of a towering rock. When only Shalaath and Megiltura were awake they began to talk. "Did you know my father?" "Yes, I knew your father and your brother. I'm sorry to hear of your loss." "How did you know my father?" "We fought side-by-side in the war to control the orcs. He was a great man." "He left me, my brother and mother alone so I guess he wasn't that great a man." "Your father did not leave willingly. But when he did leave he fought with all his might to get back to you. Your mother, where is she, what has come of her?" "She is dead, almost immediately after my father left. She was speared in the back trying to protect me and my brother from the glamhoth. Me and my brother were then taken up by the elves of 'Yeste. With them we were taught how to fight and speak and write." "It is no accident that we should meet after all this time, Megiltura. We were meant to fight together like your father and once I did. I have never forgotten him, he is a legend told among men. Though the name may have changed, you will always recognize the story by the heroes duty to do what is right and his selflessness. That is what I see in you Megiltura." The two stopped talking and Shalaath went to sleep. Megiltura lay in his bed thinking about his words. Rethinking his life and how he wanted to spend it, fighting or if he wanted something else. This thought had never crossed his mind before. Ever since he was a child, all Megiltura wanted was revenge for his father. But now he thought about other possibilities. The next morning everyone woke up, gathered their things, and left with the fire still lit, hoping that it would destroy this evil place if they didn't succeed. "Not too much farther, just down there," Shalaath said pointing down into a cave beneath a waterfall which created pool that led to a river that roared so that would frighten thunder. "I've got a plan but it will not be easy. We are outnumbered but if all goes accordingly we will all come back." Megiltura said to his men, then turned around and walked to the Shalaath and whispered something in his ear. He nodded and walked over to his men. They walked away, down the river. Megiltura told his men what he planned to do. And they got into there positions above the waterfall. They tied ropes around trees to the side of the water and stood at the edge, waiting for their leaders command. But just as he was about to give it the narrator was shot in the chest with an arrow. We'll get back to you with the second chapter as soon as we can find another narrator. Fin 


End file.
